CARRICK'S BOLTON BLUES

Frustration was the theme of Michael Carrick's post-match verdict after the 1-0 defeat at Bolton on Monday night at the Reebok Stadium.

Frustration was the theme of Michael Carrick's post-match verdict after the 1-0 defeat at Bolton on Monday night at the Reebok Stadium.

At a venue where we have yet to win in the league, a Kevin Nolan strike after 32 minutes settled the hard-fought contest which resulted in our first away reverse of the season. Jermain Defoe did find the net shortly after Nolan's fine effort, but was ruled out by an offside decision that the officials afterwards acknowledged was incorrect.

"We are very frustrated and disappointed - we really felt we should have had something out of the game," sighed the midfielder in the tunnel area after the game. "When you do score a goal and it is taken away from you it makes it hard.

Apart from that we had two or three good chances as well which, on another day, might have gone in

We would have been coming away quite happy. It is not the case though.

"We tried to get the ball down and pass it the best we could, but they do make it hard for you and the pitch wasn't great. We carved them open a couple of times and it is just a bit frustrating for us."

Michael is now one of the squad off on international duty with England, but also has one eye fixed firmly on our next Premiership date with West Ham a week on Sunday.